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Otto von Bismarck
Note: Unlike some of Drochah's other lieutenants, Bismarck's death is well-attested in the historical record, with multiple eyewitnesses. We know its precise date and time (11:00 PM, July 30th, 1898), the cause of death (inflammation of the lungs), his last words ("Forwards!"), and even who embalmed him (his personal physician, Ernst Schweninger). His family mausoleum, built on his estate in Germany, still holds his undisturbed coffin. Given that Forerunner technology is indistinguishable from magic, it is possible that Drochah teleported Bismarck's body out of its coffin and resurrected him. A slightly more plausible explanation is that the images of World War I generals Paul Fleck and Oskar von Hutier were used to portray Bismarck...because the man calling himself Bismarck was actually either Fleck or Hutier. Perhaps they were driven insane by contact with infected Mecha, or perhaps they were simply lying for reasons of their own. In any event, the rest of this article shall assume that Mecha Galaxy's Bismarck is, somehow, the true Otto von Bismarck. The Historical Bismarck In the two centuries before the First Digital Dark Age, human history was essentially the story of European nation-states competing among themselves to dominate Old Earth. Among these nation-states were over two dozen "German" kingdoms, with a common origin in the medieval Holy Roman Empire and whose people spoke a common language. Because of their small size, no single German kingdom could challenge the supremacy of other kingdoms -- like Austria, Britain, and France -- on the world stage. Otto von Bismarck was born to an aristocratic German family in 1815. By 1862, he had become right-hand man to the most powerful of the German kings, Wilhelm of Prussia. In this same year, he delivered the infamous "Blood and Iron Speech", which marked the start of his campaign to create a single German state with Wilhelm at its head. Following rapid military victories over Austria and France -- during which Bismarck himself was promoted to major-general -- the other German states were convinced it was better to side with Wilhelm than against him. In 1871, all the German kingdoms were at last united as a single "German Empire"...or "Reich"...with Wilhelm crowned as its "Kaiser", Wilhelm I. Naturally, the Kaiser relied heavily on Bismarck, promoting him directly to the rank of Prince, and appointing him Imperial Chancellor: both positions were answerable only to the Kaiser. In effect, Bismarck was the "power behind the throne", controlling both domestic and foreign policy without any checks or balances. Fortunately for the German people, Bismarck was a genius, masterminding a complex and shifting network of alliances which kept Europe at peace for the next 40 years. This allowed the Reich's soldiers to found colonies on other continents (especially Africa); while conditions in these colonies were literally gruesome, resources from the colonies greatly benefited the Reich. This, combined with Bismarck's relentless focus on industrial development, made the German Empire one of the world's superpowers almost instantly. In 1890, Bismarck was forced to retire by the new Kaiser, Wilhelm II. Wilhelm wanted an even more aggressive foreign policy, in order to glorify himself and his Reich: the eventual result was World War I. Bismarck himself did not live to see Wilhelm's punishment, dying in 1898 not long after composing his memoirs. A Final Reich German armies had been some of the most professional on Old Earth -- and some of the most ruthless -- long before the German Empire was established. Drochah gladly recruited hundreds of the Reich's officers into his "League of Ages", including General Erich von Falkenhayn, possibly Fleck and von Hutier, and of course Otto von Bismarck. The German division was considerably more familiar with the tenets of modern warfare than most of the League (for instance, the division led by Xerxes), and when the final battle on Tyndahl began, they knew at once it would be a disaster. They retreated in good order, led by Bismarck: indeed, Bismarck's status as "the father of Germany" kept him in power, and his followers united, much longer than was the case for most League survivors. By now, Bismarck had learned of the failure of succeeding German states to duplicate his accomplishments and revive the Reich. He also learned the galaxy was disunited, ripe for conquest by a powerful leader. Given his character and circumstances, his declaration of a "Final Reich" was not only logical, but probably inevitable. Bismarck had also learned something else: that in the Fourth Millenium, a man's mind and body could be replicated perfectly within a matter of days. Posing as a mercenary Clan, Bismarck's followers approached the acknowledged master of cloning technology, Drake Novum. The terms of their deal remain unclear, but the result was that Bismarck's army grew to over 1,000,000. Further expansion was made possible through Bismarck's purchase of several thousand androids, and with plundered or second-hand Mecha acquired in mercenary campaigns. When battle was finally joined in 3294 (that is, March 2015), Otto von Bismarck was in command of the largest Mecha army since before the Galactic Wars. Blood and Ferrite The "Bismarck Raid" was one of the most peculiar in military history, and without a doubt, professional historians will argue over it for generations to come. Both the "Iron Chancellor" and his officers were experienced in the theory and practice of attrition warfare, the usual Clan response to a major threat. They also had the advantage of numbers: it is estimated that each Clan faced almost 12,000 mechs of the Final Reich. And while Mecha were more advanced than anything known to the 19th and 20th Centuries, strategically speaking they were simply armored fighting vehicles, which generals like Fleck and Falkenhayn had become all-too-familiar with in World War I. Yet once again, the Clans prevailed. Current speculation is that while Bismarck had thousands upon thousands of Mecha, a lack of time or resources prevented him from upgrading them. Therefore, the most elite Clans (like the Trinitarian World Symposium and the House of Strategoi) were able to defeat most of the Final Reich squadron-by-squadron, leaving the remainder vulnerable to the now-superior numbers of the other Clans. There is a second, more disturbing possibility: that the entire Bismarck Raid was, in fact, merely a raid. With access to both cloning technology and an apparently unlimited supply of Mecha, Bismarck can afford to send wave after wave of men at the Clans and the Three Alliances, year after year, very much in the style of 19th and 20th Century warfare. After all, Bismarck's body was never found... Additional Documentation An encounter on Novum Dolorum: You’re approached by a lab tech who offers you a huge sum of cash to collect a bit of your DNA for testing. You figure what the heck, it’s not like bad guys will use my DNA to clone an evil army. Right? A meeting with the Reich: We are pleased that you have agreed to meet with us. I am General Erich von Falkenhayn and this, this is also General Erich von Falkenhayn. We are… brothers, in a manner of speaking. We come to you with a warning. Our great leader, Chancellor Bismarck, intends to unite the galaxy under the Ferrite Cross and spread the Final Reich across the stars. The end is unavoidable, and so we are here to simply warn you to stay out of our way. Certainly, you may join the petty forces who foolishly choose to stand against us. It is your right to die, if you wish. But our forces are innumerable and prepared to do anything to serve the Chancellor. Besides, if a few die, we can always make more. Come to think of it, I think I saw a trooper in our infanterie who looked quite a lot like you. Been spending some time on Novum Dolorum, have you? Well, the Reich thanks you for your contribution to the war effort. Perhaps the Chancellor will spare your life even if you choose to waste your efforts against us. Then again, perhaps not. Category:Pilots Category:Lore